It’s New Year’s Day and with that, we have a lot of basketball to watch. The Detroit Pistons head down south to take on the Miami Heat in a battle of low-ranked Eastern Conference teams.

The Pistons are coming off their seventh loss in the last eight games, while the Heat lost a close one to the Boston Celtics in their last game.

Detroit Pistons

It’s been a rough stretch for the Detroit Pistons, as they have just one win in their last eight games. While the defense hasn’t been too bad, it’s been the offense that has really let the Pistons down.

They rank 4th worst in the NBA in points per game at 98.5, and really struggle to score in what has become a league where teams scoring 120 points isn’t uncommon.

The Pistons really don’t have an explosive scorer, especially not one in the backcourt. Andre Drummond is a good presence underneath the basket and averages about 14 PPG, but it’s certainly not everything you want from your big man.

Reggie Jackson has not been the Reggie Jackson of a year ago, and that’s caused some issues in the backcourt for Detroit. He’s averaging 14.5 PPG, down from over 18 last year. He’ll need to really pick things up to get the Pistons back in the playoff mix.

Defense should win this game against the Heat. The Pistons rank 4th in opponent’s PPG at 98.7, which has kept them in games despite the scoring issues. Detroit should stifle a poor Miami offense and it might be enough to win.

Miami Heat

Dwayne Wade’s gone. Chris Bosh is out for the year with blood clots. Josh McRoberts and Dion Waiters are on the injured list for the foreseeable future. It’s been a rough year for the Miami Heat.

Much like the Pistons, the Heat cannot score. They rank just under the Pistons in points per game, third worst in the NBA. Goran Dragic has been the team’s best scorer, at 18.8 PPG, but his status is unknown for the game against Detroit because of back tightness. If Dragic doesn’t play, the Heat can pretty much kiss their hopes of a win goodbye.

The team is actually pretty similar in stats to the Pistons, as they also rank in the top 10 in opponent’s points per game, which keeps them in games despite bad offense. They give up about 101 PPG, and will hope to keep Detroit on that pace and find a way to win.

You’d have to assume that, one way or another, this will be an ugly and low-scoring affair to ring in the New Year.

NBA Betting Trends:

The UNDER is 3-2 in the Heat’s last five games

The Heat are 1-4 in their last five games

The Pistons are 6-12 on the road this season

Free Detroit Pistons vs. Miami Heat NBA Prediction:

With two poor offenses, it will be about who plays the better defense.

4* Free NBA Betting Pick: No odds currently posted so a final score prediction is posted below.

Considering the Pistons are in a bit better shape from a personnel standpoint – Miami is missing a lot of players right now – I give the edge to Detroit. Detroit gets the W on the road.

NBA Free Score Prediction: Detroit Pistons 103 – Miami Heat 98

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About Tyler Berry

New to Cappers Picks but NOT new to the world of online sports gambling. Based in Indianapolis Tyler is a digital marketing professional by day but an obsessive sports fan, blogger, and gambler by night. He is a pre-bandwagon Blackhawks fan, contrary to what many believe, while also being a lover of the White Sox, Pacers, and Colts. His writing experience includes stints in copywriting for digital media agencies, blogging for video game websites, and the creation of his own daily sports blog.

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